Team Tooheyhttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com
Living our dream as Peace Corps Volunteers in Amazonas, PeruMon, 08 Jun 2015 06:20:05 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngTeam Tooheyhttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com
The Little Thingshttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/the-little-things/
https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/the-little-things/#commentsSat, 15 Mar 2014 03:17:14 +0000http://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/?p=821]]>It’s been quite a week. I expected to kick off the new school year with my youth groups and move forward on a new healthy homes theme with local mothers. My email inbox* was uncomfortably full of memos, secondary projects, and other seemingly important things I should be doing in my spare time. My plans were re-arranged when I got sick.

So, I rescheduled sessions, postponed meetings, and did my best to ignore my inbox while I dealt with my body’s revolt of something I ate. (In what appears to be both a blessing and curse, Ian is traveling this week to help with training events. He was spared my illness, but now the whole town thinks I was sick because he’s gone. Sigh.) My host mom brought me chicken broth, I watched a shameful amount of The Wire, and eventually I called the Peace Corps doctors in Lima for some medicine to fix my intestines. I thought this week was for the birds, but then today brought a blessing. Coincidentally, today also marks 18 months in Perú.

When I first met Yolanda in September, she was three months pregnant. Her reality isn’t uncommon in this corner of the world: she’s 17, single, and she already has a three-year-old daughter. For the past six months or so, I’ve been working with mothers, including Yolanda, in a nearby village named Shipata. In this community one in three children are malnourished. All of the children are anemic. The list goes on.

A local community health promoter facilitates an educational session about nutrition in Shipata

Therefore, in coordination with the Peace Corps health promotion program and local institutions, community health promoters and I have been conducting a healthy homes project to support at-risk families in this community. The campaign includes educational sessions, small in-home modifications, and regular household visits with the family. Fundamentally though, we’re working to modify behaviors. We want the families to adopt healthy practices regarding sanitation, nutrition, family planning, and early childhood stimulation. It’s slow work, but we’re making progress, little by little. I hear mothers talk to each other about their children’s medical appointments. I see children washing their hands with soap. I watch mothers add protein to their child’s plate.

This afternoon, a friend knocked on my front door to A) see if I was still alive (with Ian gone), and B) let me know that Yolanda just gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She said Yolanda wanted me to visit her in the health center. Maternal mortality rates are high in Amazonas; however, this time Yolanda chose to give birth in the health center with a medical team instead of at home without a midwife or medical professional. The newborn’s weight is normal, which is another incredibly important first step. Mom is healthy; baby girl is healthy. The little changes are finally starting to add up. Many people and institutions played a role in this happy beginning. I’m so grateful I got small part in it.

Later, Yolanda honored me by asking if I would take some photos of her with the little one. (Her name is to be decided.) Here are a few of my favorites:

Sweet baby girl

Little fingers

Yolanda with her girl

I think she’s winking at me here.

-a2e

*I know, right? Emails in the Peace Corps. Not what I expected either.

]]>https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/the-little-things/feed/5amandagrace2eA local community health promoter facilitates an educational session about nutritionLittle eyes, little noseLittle fingersYolanda and babyI think she's winking at me here.13 lessons from 2013https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/13-lessons-from-2013/
https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/13-lessons-from-2013/#commentsTue, 28 Jan 2014 00:43:10 +0000http://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/?p=799]]>2013 brought me challenges I expected and sometimes, lessons I never saw coming. Here is a handful of the most valuable:

1) The rain provides an extra rinse for your clothes hanging on the line to dry. Between the months of January and June, it rains almost daily in Luya. When you rely on the sun or wind to dry your clothes hanging on the line, the constant rain becomes a challenge. Just let go and let mother nature rinse your clothes another time or two. Your underwear will dry. Hopefully.

2) If you travel with me, be prepared for an adventure. I’ve more or less conquered motion sickness, but landslides and roadside breakdowns tend to follow me wherever I go. Don´t worry, though. I brought snacks and water. We’ll be fine.

3) Find comfort in the uncomfortable. If it scares you, it’s probably something you should do. Getting on the plane to Perú was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It terrified me, yet it was exactly what I wanted. Presenting my community diagnostic to a room full of unfamiliar faces in a language I barely knew made my palms sweat, but we needed to start a conversation. I never, ever thought I would subject myself to building a wooden raft and then – just for kicks – paddling it down the Amazon River. Somehow this happened, I wasn’t eaten alive by piranhas, and my team came in second for our category. With each of these experiences, I went to my limit and learned I could keep going.

4) Always pee downhill. So this might be a no-brainer, but this girl-from-the-suburbs never really thought about that until she almost peed on the backpack laying next to her feet. Even if it is an emergency, make time to aim downhill.

5) Be patient. It takes time to learn a language and understand a culture. Don’t be so hard on yourself when you lack the vocabulary to say what you want to say. Don’t get mad when they didn’t show up for your meeting; it takes even more time for a community to trust you. When you think you are not meeting your definition of success, take a deep breath. Remember this is a process. Be a ray of f-ing sunshine and plant as many seeds as possible. It may not be what you expected, but something will take root and grow. I promise.

6) Shoes matter. For goodness sake, don´t subject yourself to Keen All-Terrain Sandals just because you are a Peace Corps Volunteer. No one in your community has shoes like that, and it makes you look even more like a foreigner (or gasp, a tourist). Dancing with the mayor? Don´t wear your rainboots, even if it is pouring outside. Hiking 13 km uphill? Break in those hiking shoes instead of wearing your Toms. Presentation to the regional health network? Invest in some shoe polish. Every PCV should have a pair of dancing/work shoes, a pair of hiking/tennis shoes, and a pair of flip flops for the late night run to the bathroom or latrine. Bonus points for having shoes made in your host country.

7) Reconnect by disconnecting. Having internet is such a blessing. I can see parents, watch my niece learn to walk, recharge by catching up with friends, and research projects. However, access to internet can also build barriers. I admit, there are absolutely times when I would rather Skype with my best girl instead of going out to dance with my community partners at the diskoteck. Once upon a time, Instagram photos of oven-roasted turkeys, recipes for pumpkin pies on Pinterest, and a hundreds of sparkling Christmas trees on Facebook made me think I wanted to be somewhere else. It sounds incredibly shallow, but sometimes my mind and heart longed for the familiar. My turning point came when I realized I was concerned with my Klout score. I’m in the Peace Corps, and I wanted to know my influence about things irrelevant to my host community. I knew I had to unplug and disconnect from that world. I couldn’t be a successful Peace Corps Volunteer with one foot in my previous reality and the other in Peru. It’s a work in progress, but my happiness in Peace Corps is directly related to my local participation and engagement. I’m exactly were I want to be, and I’m growing and connecting.

8) Personality types transcend culture and language. If you come to Luya, I’ll introduce you to the Peruvian version of my Great Aunt Sarah Faye. We’ll have dinner with locals who remind me of former co-workers, neighbors, and ladies from church. Type A, INFJ, dolphin, or whatever the new categorization is, those exist here. Of course, these characteristics are colored by culture and tradition, but fundamentally, people are the same. (I’ll concede that it is possible I’m using my own gringa-lens and completely over-simplifying personality. Nontheless, the process works for me.) Once I get to know someone in my community, I flip through an index of characters and for the most part, understand how to interact and work with someone. Because we are all more similar than different. Yes, our backgrounds and realities look different, butthe way we interact in the world is fundamentally the same.

9) The art of bathing doesn’t require 30 minutes in a hot shower. I can now bucket bathe or shower in less time than one Taylor Swift song. My granddad will be so proud. (This being said, my gosh, a bubble bath sounds lovely.)

10) Find time for yourself. I’ve never, ever been good at this. Time for myself used to mean baking cupcakes for other people or maybe drinking a glass (or two) of wine. As it turns out, this is the toughest job I’ve ever loved. In order to stay sane and healthy, I discovered the value in making time for myself. I now crave the few hours each week when I get help Tia Betty (real name) bake bread in her artesnal, wood-burning oven. Her home is one of my favorite spots in Perú. I have no objective other than exactly what she tells me. Hikes to and from nearby annexes (also known as my commute) used to seem like unproductive hours. Now, I enjoy the quiet time to think and reflect. This time to myself recharges my mind and clears my head. I never realized how truly valuable that is until now.

11) Be prepared. When heading out the door each morning, Peace Corps volunteers should carry the following items: a book (in case you find yourself waiting hours upon end for a meeting or transportation), a camera (documentation is important for reports and memories), toilet paper (bathrooms and trees don’t come stocked here), and finally, a safety bag for a variety of equally important reasons. Also, keep a few palabras (a little speech) or an educational session in your back pocket. You’ll need it at the most unexpected times.

12) It’s okay to say no. I’ve also always struggled with this one. As I’ve gotten a little older (and since joining the Peace Corps), I learned that I cannot possibly make everyone happy or be the solution to all of the problems. No human can. I began to get a sense of this in my previous employment, although it’s now that I’m finally learning to practice it. I know that I cannot do all of the projects and teach all of the children while staying healthy and balanced. I would be trying to squeeze in a lifetime of work during my two year commitment. So, I’m prioritizing and saying no when needed. This one is also a work in progress.

13) America the beautiful. Sure, I thought the ol’ U.S. of A. was nifty before the Peace Corps. But, goodness. Distance made my heart grow even fonder. She is far from perfect, but she’s home.

-a2e

]]>https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/13-lessons-from-2013/feed/10Amazon River Raft Raceamandagrace2eOne Yearhttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/one-year/
https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/one-year/#commentsSat, 14 Sep 2013 14:15:34 +0000http://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/?p=795]]>Ian and I landed in Perú one year ago today with these kindred spirits. It’s been one hell of a roller coaster, but here we are one year later.

“Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs. Men and women will be expected to work and live alongside the nationals of the country in which they are stationed—doing the same work, eating the same food, talking the same language.

But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps—who works in a foreign land—will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace.” – John F. Kennedy

-a2e

]]>https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/one-year/feed/220130914-090721.jpgamandagrace2eIan´s Work Updatehttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/ians-work-update/
https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/ians-work-update/#commentsTue, 03 Sep 2013 16:28:03 +0000http://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/?p=775]]>Now that we´ve hit a more or less steady pace on our projects, I thought I´d post some info on what it is I´m working on.
One of the key concepts of Peace Corps work is capacity building. That basically means that we don´t do projects on our own – we train and motivate community members to design, organize, and fund their own projects. The idea is that, if we do a decent job of it, these groups of community members will be able to continue working on the projects on their own after we split. That´s the idea, anyway. So, in an effort to do it this way, I split my program´s projects into two main groups, and worked with interested residents of Luya to form committees to manage the projects that fall into each group.

Prof. Hildefonso, a member of the APSTE-L, leads the group in formulating their objectives.

The first committee, which has named itself El Comité Central de Vigilancia del Agua – Luya (CCVA-L, or the Central Committee for the Vigilance of Water – Luya), has the ultimate goal of seeing Luya obtain potable water. Right now, the water comes straight out of an unprotected spring that is open to contamination from agricultural chemicals and animal droppings, and isn´t treated in any way other that the occasional addition of chlorine. The CCVA plans to achieve this goal through various activities:

Looking down into the valley from which Luya draws its water.

Members of the CCVA-L hiking down to Luya´s water intake.

Luya´s water intake, showing the potential for inflow of contaminants from surrounding crop fields.

1) Personal inspection of Luya´s water infrastructure, and coordination with the local authorities to promote improvements. The group wants to know the situation and the system first-hand, so they can speak from personal knowledge.

An informational meeting hosted by CCVA-L members about Luya´s water system.

2) Informational sessions with the population of Luya, to increase awareness of water-related issues. These sessions are hosted neighborhood by neighborhood to inform the public about the state of their water supply.

3) Organize participatory community events (parades, for example) to demonstrate the importance of protecting the community´s water resources. I don´t have any photos of this yet, because the first activities are scheduled for early next year.

4) Administrative training of the water communities in the surrounding pueblos. The JASS (Juntas Administrativas de Servicios de Saneamiento, or Administrative Committees for Sanitation Services) of each of the small pueblos that pertain to Luya´s District each manage their own water system. Part of CCVA-L´s mission is to assist these committees in improving their management practices, including budgeting, accounting, annual planning, and material and human resource management. There are six pueblos in total; we´re working with 3 this year, and 3 next year.

A working poster used in the formation of the APSTE-L, detailing the group´s vision.

The second group is the Asociación de Proyectos Sostenibles con Tecnologías Ecológicas – Luya (the Association of Sustainable Projects with Ecological Technologies – Luya). This group´s mission is to promote the adoption of appropriate, sustainable technologies by Luya´s population to improve sanitation and agricultural practices. The group is focused in three primary projects (for now):

A nearly-done first attempt at an improved cookstove.

1) Improved cook stoves. As compared to cooking over open fires, they reduce the use of wood (thereby reducing deforestation and saving money) and the chimney conducts smoke out of the kitchen (thereby reducing respiratory infections related to the inhalation of smoke). This is a photo of the first prototype we´ve constructed in Luya. We´re working on a project right now to build institutional stoves in 10 schools in Luya and the surrounding annexes (small pueblos who fall within Luya´s municipal jurisdiction). Extension to individual families on a larger scale will likely follow next year.

2) Improved sanitary facilities. Simply put, we´re trying to provide options for families who don´t have access to the sewer system, and who may be currently going into the fields every time the need to do their business. We´ve almost completed a pilot project of a dry-chamber composting latrine (a baño seco ecológico, or eco-baño) in the local agricultural extension agency to serve as a model for families interested in constructing one at their homes. It´s in the ag agency because, once dried out, the contents of the chambers can serve as plant fertilizer. This will be one of several options that families can choose from to improve their in-home sanitation practices.

3) Biodigesters. This is a popular project amongst PCVs in agricultural zones (which is to say, most of us). It involves constructing a large membrane-enclosed tube that, using solar and biological energy, digests animal waste and some other organic materials into fertilizer.

A student at Luya´s elementary school participating in a hand washing training session.

A poster used in training sessions to teach kids the proper times to wash their hands.

I´m also doing some work directly with the health promotion staff at the local health center (in collaboration with Mrs. Amanda) on leading hand washing sessions in the local elementary school. We do these classes once a month with each grade, and include some follow-up to make sure they´re adopting new habits.

So, basically, my days consist of working with these community groups to plan, organize, and implement their respective activities. They call the meetings and schedule the sessions; my primary role is that of a technical consultant. It´s a roller coaster – some weeks get pretty hectic, and I frequently work nights and weekends, but some days can be slow. But overall, I feel pretty good about the kind of stuff I´m working on. It´s not hard engineering design or anything, but I´ll have plenty of time in my career to do that kind of stuff. The work is rewarding, and with a bit of patience (these are people with full-time jobs and farms, remember), I think we´ll be able to get a lot done.

-en2e

Update: Forgot the very important JASS trainings in the CCVA-L section.

]]>https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/ians-work-update/feed/4en2eProf. Hildefonso, a member of the APSTE-L, leads the group in formulating their objectives.Looking down into the valley from which Luya draws its water.Members of the CCVA-L hiking down to Luya´s water intake.Water IntakeAn informational meeting hosted by CCVA-L members about Luya´s water system.A working poster used in the formation of the APSTE-L, detailing the group´s vision.A nearly-done first attempt at an improved cookstove.Eco-BañoThe back side of the eco-baño, showing the composting chambers.A student at Luya´s elementary school participating in a hand washing training session.A poster used in training sessions to teach kids the proper times to wash their hands.Gender Equality in Peruhttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/genderequality/
https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/genderequality/#commentsTue, 27 Aug 2013 03:47:56 +0000http://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/?p=758]]>Judith became a mother at 19. She raised her son as a single mother, and in the meantime, she completed college and started her career as a teacher. Now 24 years later, she is the acting director of the elementary school she once attended. She is also the only female member of the city council. Judith is an exception.

A recent report from USAID stated that in developing countries, one in five girls who enroll in primary school will never finish. Yet, when only 10 percent more girls go to school, a country’s GDP increases on average by three percent. Research shows that here in our community, less than 45 percent of mothers completed secondary school. The number is even lower in the more rural villages nearby. Development indicators also show that working women in Perú earn 54 percent of what their male counterparts earn. Peruvian women also represent only 38 percent of the income-generating work force. The Gender Inequality Index 2011 gave the country 0.42, which ranks Perú 74th out of 132 countries for gender equality.

Adolescent girls in Perú need to see more women like Judith. They deserve to know that it is possible to be a successful, professional woman in Perú. As part of an effort to promote this awareness, Peace Corps Volunteers across Perú submitted examples of extraordinary women from their communities, and we´re sharing their stories with the hope of empowering the next generation of females. The project goes beyond just sharing the stories, though. We are also working to provide much-needed resources and materials to Peruvian youth and teachers by launching a website for vocational training and career awareness. Peace Corps Volunteers will also host regional training workshops to increase capacity of teachers across Perú.

Perú deserves a future with more women like Judith.

The Gender Equality and Women´s Empowerment Committee for Peace Corps Perú, which I am a part of, was able to identify a majority of the funding for our “Powerful Peruvian Women” campaign through local resources. However, we now need outside support. We need your help. According to USAID, “a woman multiplies the impact of an investment made in her future by extending benefits to the world around her, creating a better life for her family and building a strong community.”

]]>https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/genderequality/feed/0Meet Judithamandagrace2eJudith and her studentsSpeechlesshttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/speechless/
https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/speechless/#commentsThu, 15 Aug 2013 02:50:59 +0000http://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/?p=754]]>Every once in a while, if you are lucky, you witness something extraordinary. Something beautiful. Maybe it is a child´s smile, a sunrise, an unexpected connection, or a spiritual experience. You know you can try to capture it with a photo, or explain it to a friend, but it isn´t quite the same. It is an essence. It is an impression of what it meant to you.

Eleven months today Ian and I hopped on a plane to Perú. It´s also been more than six months since I published a blog post. I´ve written several in my head while hand washing our clothes or sitting on 24-hour bus rides, but that doesn´t exactly count. (Confession: I couldn´t even remember my password to access the site!) The past six months flashed by, but they have been filled with experiences, stories, and friendships. The world I knew this time last year feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago at the very same time.

I have found my Peace Corps service to be more personal than I expected. I needed to unplug myself in order to experience it. I needed to give myself time to process and reflect on these experiences before I started talking about them. I didn´t want to shortchange the relationships or work by giving a quick impression. I wrote in my heart instead of on the computer. Every time I sat down at to type, I realized I wasn´t ready. It is much easier to share little things through Facebook, Twitter, or FaceTime than it is to process a transformative experience and then share it with everyone you know.

That being said – I was left speechless by this beautiful experience. But now, I´m ready to share. We have more stories coming very, very soon.

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then it turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

Until then, know that Ian and I are filled with happiness. We´re living our dream.

-a2e

]]>https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/speechless/feed/4Carretera en Luya, Amazonasamandagrace2eAlways Carry A Safety Baghttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/safety-bag/
https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/safety-bag/#commentsMon, 11 Feb 2013 22:34:00 +0000http://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/?p=744]]>Nelí, Ian and I were just finishing up lunch when we heard the music and fireworks begin. I innocently poked my head out the door to watch the parade pass by, and Ian and I were subsequently swept away into the dancing throng of our Peruvian neighbors. I barely had time to slip on my shoes.

Of course, it is Carnaval time here and everywhere. In Perú, Carnaval can mean everything from parades and street dancing to water balloon fights and paint-or-flour-covered children. Think less beads, more balloons. However, it also means parties with chicha and multiple-course meals. Actually, multiple-course meals are the norm here. It’s also customary to always be offered food when you are invited into someone’s home. And when you are offered food, you’d better finish your plate.

When the parade ended, the mayor ushered us and about 40 of our neighbors into a house for lunch. (Keep in mind, we’d just finished lunch with our host mom.) I ate the beet salad and finished the bowl of high-five soup like a Peace Corps pro. Then our generous hostesses brought out the third, fourth and fifth courses. No big deal. I’ll just grab my…. rut roh. In the midst of my innocent interest in watching the parade and subsequent participation in said parade, I forgot my purse. More importantly, I forgot the safety bag inside my purse. Rookie mistake.

What is a safety bag, you ask? You see, during Pre-Service Training, I got sick. A lot. New food sick. Street-hamburger sick. Ceviche sick. Shoveling-cow-poop sick. 24-hour-ride-thru-the-Andes sick. Weaving-through-Lima-traffic sick. I’m sure you get the idea. Anyway, I learned to always carry an empty plastic bag. It made life less messy. After my first visit to Amazonas in November, I learned this magical plastic bag could also be used to “guardar” (save) food when it becomes physically impossible to finish your second (or third) lunch in a row. I’m such a fan of the safety bag that my superlative at the end of Pre-Service Training was “most likely to carry a safety bag.”

Today I made a grievous error. In the haze of Carnaval’s fireworks, I left my beloved safety bag at home. Fortunately, I was sitting next to the mayor’s wife and she gave me one. If not for her preparedness, Ian would have rolled me home.

So, do as I say and not as I do. Always, always carry a safety bag. You can thank me later.

It is not the gray sullenness of its cousin Lima — it is a joyful rain

full of promise and life,

falling from clouds that dance gleefully in from unseen valleys

like guests invited to a friendly gathering —

some sweeping through, leaving a glow of glittering jewels —

some lingering, filling the air with sweetness,

filling the streams with laughter.

It is a rain that reminds you of its purpose:

to make the Earth sing;

to make the crops grow;

to make the rivers run and shape the land for miles and millenia beyond.

I like the way the rain cleanses the already clean air,

elevating saints from the beatified.

I like the way it rains here.

]]>https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/the-rain/feed/2en2eChocolatadas, Panetón and WiFi – Part Twohttps://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/firstperuvianchristmas-part2/
https://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/firstperuvianchristmas-part2/#commentsSat, 12 Jan 2013 02:50:25 +0000http://teamtoohey.wordpress.com/?p=687]]>So, a few days before Christmas, it was beginning to feel like Christmas. I was stuffed full of Panetón and hot chocolate. We had Christmas music and a little Christmas tree. However, we were experiencing “technical difficulties.”

A Christmas Miracle

Our laptop detected an aggressive virus a few days before Christmas. Even though we tried to be extra careful, it must have gotten it from some USB or Internet cafe. (I’m lookin’ at you, bad-hot-chocolate place.) Fortunately we had back-ups for the super important files, but we were pretty sure we lost all of our December reports, presentations, and documents. Purchasing and getting a new computer was going to be a challenge.

Later that day, someone came over to our house to install Internet. It worked for a few hours, and then it when down again. The guy told us our computer crashed the Internet for the entire Luya network. He said he would have to return later with an engineer to configure everything. Several prodding phone calls and two days later, just in time for Christmas, Internet-guy returned with his engineer. They spent an entire Saturday working on our connection, and finally, it worked. It was a Christmas miracle. I never expected to have Internet, much less WiFi , during Peace Corps service. We don’t have regular running water, but we have WiFi. Sometimes, life is weird like that in the Peace Corps.

So, we were able to FaceTime our family to give them the good news. While we wouldn’t be physically with them on Christmas, we would still be able to see each other on Christmas day. As an added bonus, Ian’s mother is a computer genius. She walked us through how to fix our computer, and we saved it.

Christmas Eve

During Christmas Eve Day, Ian and I cleaned, cooked, and listened to Christmas music. We even had to run to the market for last minute ingredients, which was completely familiar. There wasn’t snow on the ground, football bowl games on TV, or a big shiny Christmas tree, but it still felt a lot like Christmas. That evening we went to Christmas Eve mass with our host mother. I found comfort in knowing my family and friends were doing the same thing in the US. After church we walked home together and sat down for dinner. Our host dad apologized for not having turkey. We ate chicken, figs and applesauce. Of course, these things were followed with hot chocolate and Panetón. As the church bells tolled midnight, Neli asked me to place Baby Jesus in the manager. I was honored.

Baby Jesus!

Shortly thereafter, she gave us a little nativity scene for our room. It even had a llama! Ian and I went to bed happy, but we wondered what it would be like to spend Christmas Day away from everything we’d always known.

Christmas Day

A few days beforehand, we asked our host family if we could cook for them on Christmas Day. We wanted to share our traditions with them, and food is a big part of that. They graciously agreed. Ian woke up early on Christmas morning and started making french toast and hot chocolate for our host family. Our host family asked for second servings and the recipe. We gave them their Christmas presents (Panetón and a homemade wreath) and talked about holiday traditions. It made my heart happy.

Neli, Meister and Ian are all smiles after french toast on Christmas morning.

After breakfast we went back to our room and spent the morning on FaceTime with all of our family members. It was such a blessing to be able to do that, and I truly believe that it made the day easier for all of us. There are current volunteers in Peru who had to ride two hours to access Internet. (I think they have running water, though.) By the time we finished talking to family, it was almost time for lunch. Since we didn’t have access to an oven, we weren’t able to make Ian’s traditional family lasagna. However, he did make an Italian sauce from scratch. We shared the sauce and pasta with our host family, and again they asked for seconds.

Stockings hung on the closet with care (?) and our little Christmas tree

That afternoon Ian and I exchanged gifts. Santa managed to find us in Peru, so our stockings were full of candy and there were little gifts under our little tree. Best of all – Santa got me a monogrammed machete. I cried when I opened it because it was hilariously perfect. Santa knows me too well. That evening, we decorated sugar cookies even though I couldn’t bake. We bought little cookies from a nearby bodega, found sprinkles, and made frosting. We called our friends currently serving throughout Peru. They all found their own ways to celebrate. My Spanish instructors texted and called me. Students from the local colegio texted to wish us a Merry Christmas. So, while our pequeñita Navidadita wasn’t quite the same, it still full of love and family. We found ways to incorporate traditions and family from home into our life here. And, that’s what Christmas is all about.